Friday, July 12, 2013

County council proceedings may be webcast

Council meetings in Denbighshire could be broadcast over the web in future, after councillors gave the thumbs up to the idea of using more modern technology to engage people in local democracy.

Discussions have taken place after a former Minister for Communications and Local Government wrote to all authorities earlier this year, indicating that the Welsh Government was making £1.2 million in grants available to councils to assist with implementing the webcasting of council meetings.

Webcasting involves the live streaming of sound and vision of council meetings. The webcast can be made available on the Council's website as archived material. This means that members of the public who are not able to attend meetings may either view them live online of at a later date.

Officers from the Council have already held discussions with the Welsh Government and Welsh Local Government Association and a demonstration has been given to councillors.

Councillor Barbara Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Modernisation, said: "This is a good way for the Council to communicate with residents and the public via social media. We want to be a modern Council in our approach to using technology to do business and this is a great way of allowing people to access council meetings without having to leave their home or office.

"There is also the flexibility of listening and watching coverage of council meetings at times which suit the individual and Members were keen to support such an innovative project."